Growing So Fast
by Diary
Summary: Luke and Faith talk after a classmate asks her out. Complete.


Disclaimer: I do not own As the World Turns.

* * *

"What do I do if a boy asks me out?"

Luke looks up from his sandwich. "Did a boy ask you out, Faithie?"

"Yeah," she answers, looking down. "Um, I told him I'd get back to him. That- wasn't a good idea, was it?"

"We're having ice-cream," he declares.

…

Once they're settled in the living room, bowls of ice-cream in hands, he says, "So, I'm guessing it wasn't Parker."

"I think I might be over him," she says with a shrug.

He manages not to sigh and blurt out, 'Oh, thank God.' Instead, he nods. "This boy who asked you out, is he cute? Nice? Does he know about Grandma Emma's shotgun?"

"Very cute, from what I've seen, nice, and he's from South Dakota, so, I'm not sure how much he knows about this town and our family," she answers.

"Do you think you'd like to go out with him?"

She shrugs, and he senses there's something she doesn't particularly want to tell him. "C'mon, Faith. What is it?"

"I'm not sure why he asked."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," she says, glancing down at her stomach and arms, "Parker's never thought I was pretty. And I know, you and mom and dad want me to think I am. But most boys don't, and that's why they ask girls out, because they think they are."

Sighing, Luke wonders if he needs to start putting sticky notes on the mirrors and making her repeat self-affirmations before bed and in the morning, again. He wonders if he should have ever stopped in the first place.

"I'm not going to stop eating," she promises, reaching over to squeeze his wrist. "It's just- what if this is some big joke to him?"

"Then, he's going to be very sorry," he answers. "Look- Faith, the truth is that Parker likes girls who look a way that you never will," he says, gently, hoping she's at a place where hearing that helps rather than hurts. "The truth is also that he's not a representative of all boys. Some boys out there think girls who look like you are the most beautiful kind. Some boys honestly don't care about looks; they're more focused on a girl who can make them laugh, or who will listen to them, or who can understand them when they talk about Star Wars or something incredibly geeky."

"What matters right now is if you think you could like this boy. If so, tell him that your family is insane and overprotective, and you had to run this by them first, but you'd like to, after he stops by and answers a few questions. You do know he's going to have to get full approval before anything can happen, right?"

At her resigned, disgruntled look, he laughs and leans over to kiss her cheek. "But if you don't think it would be a good idea, just politely turn him down. Wait until you find a boy who makes it seem like a good idea."

"What if it seeming is different from being?"

"That's where your family comes in."

"He is really cute," she says, wistfully.

Laughing, he hands her his bowl of half-finished ice-cream. Then, more seriously, he says, "Look at you, growing so fast. I'm not sure I'm ready for all this."

"Let's hear your advice," she says. "I know everyone else will have some, but let's face it, I'm more likely to listen to yours than theirs."

"Yeah," he acknowledges, somewhat sadly. "Well, first, as screwed up as our parents and Lucinda are, they do love you, Faith. And the fact they try has to count. Just remember, I may not have let you down as badly as they have, but I could have been a better brother to you and the others, and I do have my own closet of skeletons. No's perfect."

"I know," she says, quietly.

"Never let someone make you feel like you aren't special," he says, wrapping an arm around her as she finishes the bowl. "Because you are and should be. If you're not special to them, they aren't special. They don't deserve you. Every couple has arguments, and part of loving someone is acknowledging their faults, but-" He struggles to think of the right words.

"If you love someone, you don't just love the good," she suggests.

"Yeah," he answers, looking down at his baby sister. "Where'd you get so smart, Faithie?"

"I think I heard it on TV," she answers, snuggling closer to him.

"Right, well, that's true. It's important to remember. If you love someone, you want them to be the best they can be, but when they're not, you don't make them feel bad. I mean- if someone ever seriously hurts you, I want you to promise you'll come to us as soon as possible. I know we've never talked about this, but if someone ever- hits you," he says, hating the mere thought of it, "or something like that, it doesn't matter how special they usually make you feel or how sorry they seem to be-"

"It's not a healthy love," she interrupts. "I know. They did an assembly at school."

"It's not any kid of love," he says, firmly.

"So, if I don't think a guy is really into me, I shouldn't waste my time. What else?"

"Don't pretend to be dumb," he says. "Don't let him pressure you into anything you don't want. That said, if you ever need condoms or birth control and don't want to go to mom or dad, you can come to me. If you don't want me to ask any questions, I won't. I just want to make sure you're safe and prepared."

"Got it," she says.

"I think that's all, for now. Oh, except: I love you, and so do the others."

"I think, after Dad gets home, I'm going to call Roy."

"That's the boy's name?"

Nodding, she answers, "Roy Jackson." Then, she asks, "What about you? Are you and Noah getting back together, or are you getting serious with Dr Oliver?"

"I don't know," he says, rubbing his ear. "That's- I think Noah and I are done for good, Faith. But I don't know if Reid and I are- It's complicated."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he assures her. "I'm always going to care about Noah, but I don't think I'm in love with him anymore."

Immediately, he begins to worry if saying that will upset or confuse her, but she nudges against her shoulder. "I get it. I love Noah, and I probably won't like any boyfriend of his for a long time, but with everything's that happened, it's not a complete surprise. As long as you're both happy, that's what matters."

"What do you think of Reid?"

Shrugging, she says, "He called me pretty. I think he was sort of being sarcastic or insulting me or this town or something, but it still made me feel good."

"When did this happen? What exactly did he say?"

"At the police station, when Dad was in trouble for supposedly killing Damian," she answers. "I was sitting in one of the rooms, and he came, looking for you. When I told him where you were, he just looked at me for a minute, and then, he said something about only being able to imagine what kind of drama I was contributing to our family. I- uh, called him a jerk, which-"

"Don't apologise," he tells her, quickly. "I like him, and he does have a better side, but yeah, he can be a jerk."

"Well, anyway, he said something about starting to realise what exactly you had to deal. Like, insane parents, prepubescent siblings, and a pretty, teenage sister. I remember, he said, 'Tell me, exactly how many love triangles have you gotten yourself into?' I, uh, just automatically told him that I wasn't pretty and had never had a boyfriend, and he just shook his head and muttered something about hopefully being out of town before I got over my insecurities. Then, he went to find you."

Luke feels a smile forming and finds himself hoping Reid won't be out of town by the time that happens.

"Aside from being cute and being from South Dakota, what else is there about this Roy Jackson," he asks, telling himself to keep an open-mind. If he wants Faith to believe a boy could like her for all the right reasons, he has to be careful not to assume the worst of any boy who does show an interest.

Many teenage boys, however, do only have less-than-honourable intentions, and just to be sure, he needs to start thinking up plans on how to handle any boy who proves himself not good enough for his little sister.

"He's in wood-shop with me, and he has two little sisters. They're in…"


End file.
